


Jay Will Come Back

by The_knight_of_the_stars



Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Canon Divergence, Jay Centric, Jay was on Uma´s crew
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:55:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27188971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_knight_of_the_stars/pseuds/The_knight_of_the_stars
Summary: After liberating the children of the isle of the lost, after graduating with nowhere to go, Jay finds himself drowning in the mistakes of his life.His past with Uma, Harry, and Gil finally catches up with him, but it might be too late for forgiveness.Jay will embark on a new adventure, this time to remember who he once was, and meet who he is now.(Because we all know that the writers forgot to give Jay a consistent backstory, and story in general, and I just can't take it. So now he used to be part of Uma´s crew. Is this a cheesy story with unnecessary complications and full of drama? Yes it is.)
Relationships: Evie/Jay/Mal/Carlos de Vil, Gil/Harry Hook/Uma, Gil/Harry Hook/Uma/Jay, Gil/Jay (Disney: Descendants), Harry Hook/Jay, Harry Hook/Uma, Jay/Uma (Disney)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 24





	1. By the light of the moon

_January, six months after the Barriers Fall_

The phone rang for the fifth time. Jay could feel it vibrating in his jacket pocket. He sighed wearily and closed his eyes, trying to ignore the calls. It was probably Evie, wanting to know where he was, and why he hadn't been to the last two meetings. It was cold, winter had fallen suddenly, breaking the sky into a dark mass of icy rain and light snow. It was already dark, but it was quite early. Still, Jay was already settled on the small bed, huddled against the wooden wall, giving his back to the door. Hugging himself, his tourney team jacket on to withstand the cold.

The phone stopped ringing. Through the window, Jay saw the snowfall, light, almost delicate, steady, and frozen. He was starting to warm up, and the soft hiss of the wind was comforting, so Jay squeezed his eyes shut, struggling not to think about anything or anyone, just wishing he could rest. The house was quiet, peaceful, so incredibly quiet that it was easy to lose track of time. Jay breathed slowly, his chest heavy, his mouth dry, his hair tangled. He was heartbroken.

Someone knocked on the door quietly, and even though Jay didn't respond, a figure entered anyway, with careful steps. Aziz sat on the edge of the bed, watching Jay lying on his back, and realized he was awake.

"Jay" he whispered kindly "You got a letter"

Jay's heart beat once, twice, three times. The stone walls of the castle made voices echo deep and melodious like the ones of a church. Jay leaned up a bit to see Aziz, sighing.

"It's from Gil," Aziz added. He handed him the sealed envelope, with an encouraging little smile. Jay looked at the letter for a moment.

"How did Gil find out I was here?" Jay asked softly. His voice was scratchy, it came out with difficulty after three days hardly speaking. Aziz shook his head.

"I don't know, I didn't tell anyone" Aziz replied. Jay nodded slowly "Maybe you should answer your phone, you can't ignore them forever"

Jay wrinkled his face. He knew Aziz was right, but he didn't have the energy to think about it now. Jay took the letter, somewhat hesitant to open it at the moment. He held it in his hand, feeling the half wet paper, probably from having been delivered during the snowfall. He put the letter by the bed, feeling that his heart began to feel heavy, painful. No, he couldn't read letters now. Aziz sighed, giving Jay a supportive smile.

"Dinner will be ready in thirty minutes," he announced in the same sweet voice as always. Jay nodded, thanking him, "And Jay ..."  
"Yes?"  
"Answer your phone"  


  
_Three years ago..._  
  
Jay looked behind him, the night seemed calm and silent, no one was following him. As he had guessed several hours ago, it was a hot night, but in the open, in that dark and forgotten area between the hills, without houses or crowds or stinky streets, the air was much more pleasant, fresh, light. In the distance, he saw the dim lights of the half-finish building where Anthony Tremaine's famous meetings took place. Four broad, tall, unfinished walls, covered in dry vines and dusty moss, over which a rough wooden ceiling had been put down without care. The rest of the holes were covered with frayed rugs, old fabrics, and pieces of torn clothing. Despite the building's decay, it inspired a unique warmth.

That place was the secret of the villain children. By some unlikely phenomenon of youth, they had all sworn a silent pact to keep these meetings just for themselves. Whether it was for defying his parents, for the thrill of sneaking out each week at moonrise, or for the carnal need for human warmth; the secret was kept. Or perhaps, they needed the hope of forgetting the world, the screams, the misery and sins of their parents, the condemnation to which they were bound. One night, where they could see a glimpse of the stars through the darkness.

With that same hope stuck in his chest, Jay shook out his hair and walked toward the house. It was the third time he had attended, and the excitement that ran through his veins was as deep as the first time. Part of him felt guilty for attending, he wasn't sure it was allowed. He knew that Maleficent disapproved of the coexistence between families intertwined in some deep conflict, whether it was for power, territory, or the fun of a new challenge. For that same reason, Mal could only hang out with Jay in a restricted and exclusive way. Mal's only task was to cause fear, to be more feared than loved.

Despite not having pledged allegiance to Maleficent, Jay was devoted to Mal, considered him a fundamental part of their friendship, and indirectly that had made him one more in Maleficent's circle of allies. Jay knew it, and he knew what he was doing could be considered treason. But as much as Jay wanted to avoid Maleficent's wrath, he needed to do it again.

He had never felt so alive as when he felt the wind from the country shaking his hair, hearing the uproarious laughter of the other boys his age, dancing half-drunk in a completely different ecstasy than he had ever felt. It was relaxed, sweet as if nothing could reach that ramshackle house. No one was talking about alliances, or fights, or rivalries, all that seemed absurd in the light of the candles and the heat of the conversation.

Jay reached the house, unable to avoid a huge grin from ear to ear. He entered looking around with a cheerful attitude, discovering that the place was already full of people immersed in the joy of the evening. Most danced, with free and happy movements, jumping, taking the hands of strangers with rare camaraderie, to the beat of Diego de Vil and his band, who played in a corner with an emotion that detonated that they too had begun to drink. The rest of those present sat in boats, boxes, or stones around the walls, talking, laughing, or singing to the beat of the song. Someone met him.

"Jay!" Anthony Tremaine exclaimed, slapping him on the back with his skeletal grin from ear to ear. “Good thing you came! Did you bring anything? "

Jay couldn't help laughing slightly. Anthony Tremaine was the biggest hypocrite in the isle, and everyone knew it. But despite that, he kept calling everyone friends with a permanent smile on his face. Jay picked up the bottles in his hand.

"Ron" he replied with the same smile as Anthony, "I think it was from Captain Hook, but to tell the truth I didn't pay much attention to which pirate I stole it from."

Anthony gave a high-pitched, elusive laugh, snatching the bottles from him with great satisfaction.

"Welcome handsome, I accept your contribution" he replied, still laughing. Jay looked at him strangely, as he deftly walked through the crowd.

Now the music had changed slightly, it was a little less intense, probably for the band to take a break after so much energy wasting. Jay walked among the people, infected with the collective joy, feeling the light warm his skin, the wind cool his cheeks, the energy of the people bristles his skin. He laughed almost instinctively, as did the rest of the people. A couple of boys recognized him and greeted him enthusiastically, and Jay was carried away by the momentary trust they all shared in those moments, hugging people whose names he barely remembered, drinking from the same bottle of people he had never seen in his life, dancing alongside a confused mass of human skins and cloth.

As the night wore on, the weather seemed to get much better. Song of voices under the candlelight, music that floated like part of the time. Breath of friends and strangers, the sweat of excitement running down the nape of the neck, the warm blood rushing strong through every inch of the body. Bang, bang, bang, brave hearts, those restless feet propelled, bouncing booming over the ground, shaking their arms with the music sinking beneath their skin.

Uma, to her own surprise, was as full of life as the others, sitting on an old log, leaning nonchalantly on Harry's chest, who was putting his arm over her shoulder, surrounded by a couple of young pirates and a few of Gil's friends, laughing in high spirits at an incredibly exaggerated story of how they had survived a stormy night while being so drunk they couldn't even walk.

She hadn't laughed like that in months. And she was certainly enjoying it. Each laugh felt more and more like a sip of wine, loosening her from her bonds, racing her pulse, losing more and more the track of time. Wishing that the night would never end. Without realizing it, she followed the rhythm of the music with her feet, watched the people dance in fascination, excitedly patted each turn of the story. She had been impressed by the way the environment made the outside world disappear, the worries, and the promise of daylight. It seemed like they could stay forever in that haze of laughter and excitement.

A couple of hours later, the energy died slightly. And while Uma shoved a couple of ice cubes into her mouth to lessen the dry, dizzy sensation of the alcohol, Harriet Hook sat next to her with a tired face. She was dragging a very drunk Ginny Gothel by the hand.

“Harry” Harriet yelled “ Where the fuck is CJ? You were supposed to take care of her "

"Come on sis," replied Harry leaning towards her "CJ is not stupid, she can take care of herself "

"Oh I know" Harriet replied even more annoyed "She's an evil genius, that's precisely what worries me"

Uma straightened up. It seemed more like a sibling fight than a real matter to worry about. She doubted whether or not she should intervene.

" You have to find her Harry " replied Harriet, brushing her sweaty hair from her forehead, staring at her brother "I have to accompany Ginny, she is too drunk, she will not make it to her home alone"

Harriet got up in some hurry, holding Ginny up so she wouldn't fall, and headed for the exit. Several people were doing the same, ending the party, it was still quite crowded, but it was beginning to empty, very slowly. Uma leaned against the wall, watching people dance, watching the initial energy of the band deflate as the night wore on. Harry slung his jacket over his shoulder, hugging Uma with a smile.

"Well love, as much fun as this was, Harriet is right," Harry said in a tired voice, kissing her on the cheek. Uma pretended annoyance, but didn't pull away "I'd better find CJ before she gets into trouble."

Uma smiled slowly, brushing her hair away from her face.   
"Okay, go ... I'll survive without you Hook" she replied, patting him on the shoulder "I'll come back with Gil when I find him"

Harry also smiled at her, with that look of absolute veneration, and squeezed her hand for the last time, walking towards the door, before leaving he turned to look at her for the last time, and Uma winked at him in farewell.

Uma settled into her seat, and as soon as she lost sight of Harry, she looked around with a sigh. Without her little circle of acquaintances, she had been left alone in the corner, and she didn't know exactly what to do. But she was still in too good a mood to feel uncomfortable.

She could still sit there, having fun with the people who danced, feeling the rhythm, more simple and calm of the music. Many of the candles had been going out, and since no one cared enough to relight them, the room grew darker and darker. It was a rare time of night, in which the initial excitement and frenzy of the party had subsided, the atmosphere relaxed and it entered a nostalgic and strange state. Too far from reality, like a realistic dream, painted with laughter and deflated joy, accentuated by heat, the exhaustion of being out of breath between excited conversations and frenzied dancing. 

Uma floated in that stream of opaque happiness. Looking carefree and sleepy as the candlelight reflected off the faded glitters on her shirt. She raised her head, and only now did she realize that a couple of little paper stars were hanging from the ceiling.

Jay, who had given up looking for company, found a seat to rest his legs. His cheeks felt flushed from dancing for so long, and he was grateful he was sensible enough not to have had more than two bottles, he knew it would be hell trying to go home in the heat of the night and the dizziness of alcohol. He looked around, his breath still racing, and paused for a moment. Across the room, leaning against the wall, Jay saw Uma, bright and calm, cross-legged, staring at the stars in the ceiling, bare shoulders in a mint-colored shirt and ripped jeans, a handkerchief in her hair.

Never before had Jay seen her so close, so real, so tangible. He had heard of her, had seen her from afar on occasion, knew what she looked like. But something felt different at that moment, for the first time he saw her, alone, calm, just her. He was surprised at how intimidating she was, her eyes dark and powerful, bright, haughty. The noble yet carefree way in which she sat, she moved. He didn't realize that she had been flabbergasted, staring at her from across the room, fascinated to find her in the crowd. On an unfamiliar impulse, he wanted to get closer, even though he feared his company would be rejected. She seemed a whole world apart.

He walked slowly, trying to appear calm, and approached cautiously, from the side. She was distracted, struggling to re-tie her handkerchief. Jay sat down next to her, and she finally looked up at him. Uma walked up and down him, somewhat puzzled, finally giving up and untying the handkerchief. She did not like to leave her hair in view, enough she had that people made fun of the shrimp smell it once had, but the handkerchief was beginning to bother her, and there were few people left at the party anyway, most of them too drunk to remember that part of the night. Her soft turquoise hair, tangled and unbraided, fell fluffy to her shoulders, her head immediately relaxing.

Jay swallowed hard, wondering if it would be better to leave. Uma turned to look at him with challenging eyes, almost hoping he had only come over to tease.  
" Hey, I'm Jay" Jay spat before regretting it. That sounded much louder than he had intended.

Uma studied him for a moment, and couldn't help but laugh a little when she read Jay's nervousness in his quivering pupils. He seemed harmless.

" Hey, Jay" Uma replied with some dryness. As usual, she wasn't sure how to carry on a conversation, much less start it. Uma looked at the floor, uncomfortable.

"You are Uma, aren't you?" he said again, smiling to hide how sorry he was for asking that question. Of course, it was Uma. "Harry has told me about you ... I'm friends with Harry, well, something like that ... we haven't talked much lately."

Jay pursed his lips to stop talking, feeling like he was just babbling nonsense, and he took a deep breath, despite everything, he was strangely excited. Uma looked again at the two stars hanging from the ceiling, and relaxed her shoulders, deciding that it was too good a night to be nervous, a smile formed at just that thought.

"Yeah ... Jay" Uma replied, leaning back on the wall "Harry mentioned you, he says you're cool "

"Oh seriously?" Jay smirked, calmer "I've never seen you at one of these parties, or without Harry following you around"

"Yeah, well, he went looking for his sister."

Jay leaned a little closer to her, and Uma didn't pull away. The buzz of conversations had diminished significantly, most dancing at a slow, silent rhythm, sitting on the banks to watch others, or simply already unconscious. Uma smiled. What was it about tonight that felt so close?  
Jay looked at Uma, nervous. They were both smiling but were momentarily speechless. For a few long seconds, Jay looked away, listening to his own heartbeat, hot and throbbing; and he turned his eyes to the horizon, the sea, a distant, fuzzy glow across the water. Auradon.

Uma looked at Jay, her sloppy brown clothes, plain and poorly sewn. It seemed that he had made it himself. Its hair was matted and messy, no matter how tall and strong he seemed, Uma thought he had a look too quiet for someone from the island. She watched his face more carefully, his trembling, amused eyes had gone still.

"What are you staring at?" Uma asked, searching the distance for something to observe. Jay looked back at her.

"Auradon" he replied simply " At night, you can see the lights of the city, isn't that great?"

"Why would it be?" Uma asked, slightly confused. Jay's eyes seemed to have lit up.

"Oh please don't tell me you're not curious"

"I guess" she replied shaking her head "You can't even see anything now, it's just a light"

"I know, but… I don't know… it's like… we can see it but… we'll never know what it is, doesn't that seem strange to you?" Jay asked, narrowing his eyes passionately, looking back into the distance. Uma could almost hear her breathing stop from so many feelings.

"It's a bit depressing, not gonna lie," Uma said, leaning her weight on the wall. Jay leaned closer to her, looking at her intently.

"Come on, we can still imagine it, can't we?" Jay said, with a voice vibrant with energy "I always wonder what that light could be ... Is it a lighthouse? A castle?"

"It could be a port ... with a light to guide the ships" suggested Uma, starting to smile.

"Exactly" Jay exclaimed, putting his feet up on the log to better accommodate himself "I mean ... how many strange things could there be in that place ... so close ... and so far from us ?"

The wind was blowing, Jay's hair, light, and loose falling over his face without him seeming to notice. Uma moved even closer to him, their legs brushing now.

"You think about that a lot, don't you?" Uma asked, biting her lip, looking for a moment at the light on the horizon, now she felt like the light was watching her. Jay nodded. "What kinds of things do you imagine are there?"

“I don't know…” Jay snorted, rubbing his hands thoughtfully “Cathedrals? Castles? Oh, I know! Knights…"

“ Oh, so you like knights in shining armor? Is that it?" Uma asked, amused.

"I would not mind you see one, " he said he smiling. "And you? What would you do if you could get off the island? "

She had to think about it, it wasn't something she usually liked to have on her mind. But Jay didn't seem to see it that way, he carried that illusion in his heart. After a moment, a lovely thought lit up.

"I would swim in the sea," she answered, without realizing it, evoking the song of the sea that he had imagined all his life. "Just swimming far, far from land, until I can only see the sea" Uma smiled, shaking her head. 

"Sounds boring doesn't it?"

"Not at all," Jay replied, the same sparkling light jumping into his dark eyes.  
Uma licked her lips, savoring a lost memory of the sea. Jay, more confident, looked around for a moment.

" Hey , look" he said pointing to the other side of the room. Uma looked in that direction, and discovered Anthony Tremaine, drunk and euphoric, trying to dance with a pirate who seemed increasingly fed up with him. "I bet the pirate ends up leaving before two minutes have passed."

Uma looked at him, amused, a singular, cunning glint in her eyes.

"Is that a challenge, pretty boy?" Uma asked in a captivating voice "Put a price on it, I bet she lets him pass out and then steals from him"  
Jay grinned from ear to ear.

"A day of work," he replied. Uma nodded.

"It's a deal"

They sat side by side, recharged, watching the scene unfold with laughter. For an eternal minute, the pirate held Anthony from falling, and he just swayed between strange and uproarious laughter. For another full minute, he leaned on the pirate's shoulder, his eyes narrowed, already too lost in the dullness of alcohol.

"Oh my God, did he fall asleep?" exclaimed Uma with a laugh, clutching Jay's arm to keep from falling over with laughter. Jay tried to hide it, but his efforts collapsed when he saw Anthony begin to drool on the pirate's shoulder, who immediately pulled away in horror, leaving Anthony to slam to the ground.

"Did you see his face?" Jay managed to utter, tears of laughter rolling out of his eyes. "And he didn't even notice," she said pointing to Anthony, who was still on the ground . Uma covered her mouth so that the laughter would not alert the entire party.

The pirate dragged Anthony to a wall and retreated annoyed, but not before taking his jacket.  
"I knew it!" Uma exclaimed excitedly still full of the explosive joy of laughter. Jay leaned against the wall, tired of laughing. "You are mine for a day"

"At your command, captain," Jay replied, bowing mockingly. Uma gave him a friendly slap on the shoulder.

The hours had passed, but for some, reason, they did not feel tired, it was like night just started. Uma looked at Jay, surprised to enjoy his company so much . She smirked, the time seemed to stop with her smile, Devious.

" I heard you are very good at stealing," Uma mentioned. Jay smirked arrogantly.

"The best," he replied, raising his head.

"So if I need to steal something, could you make it happen?"

"Always," Jay replied, and Uma smirked, looking away.

" Who knows, Jay ?, I May ask you to do a thing or two for me one of these days ..." Uma said, brushing a strand of hair, without even looking back at him. But he was smiling, and that was drawing Jay in like a magnet.

Jay responded with a laugh, nodding. The music had transformed, Diego's band had retired, and the last sober pirate was sitting on a wooden box, with a zither in bad condition, singing a melody that rested in that melancholic, half-romantic state, music of background for the remaining guests to kiss in the corners, fall asleep on the ground or sit and wait for their companions. Uma brushed off her pants, returning her gaze to the ceiling, and through the wooden beams she caught a glimpse of the eternally starless sky.  
But tonight, the moon was shining so brightly that they could see a bit of its pale light through the dark mist that surrounded the island. Jay couldn't take his eyes off Uma, her eyes bright and sincere, her sweet lips, exciting and full of life. Jay could never have imagined that a smile was so full of life, a mouth from which a million dreams, dangers, challenges promised to emerge. Eyes of a midnight crystalline lagoon, frozen moments of love and sadness, sparkles, sparkles, sparkles, eternal sparkles of forgotten hope, and inexhaustible courage.

"Uma" Jay said, starting to formulate a huge smile " Do you want to dance?"

And Uma, her heart filled with the excitement of the night, didn't even think about it.

"Of course, why not?"

Jay took her hand and lifted her from her seat. Uma led him to the center of the room, where no one was dancing now. They were practically alone. Two little stars crashed into the ceiling, twirled, and entwined each other. Jay put his hand on Uma's side, and she did the same, the two of them still holding hands. Jay's hands were long and scratchy, naturally heavy. Uma's were wrinkled, strong, and dry. They felt each other, an awkward first-time caress. They moved at the same slow, relaxed pace, improvising the steps as they listened to the music. Intimate, patient, close. They needed to feel the other to know how to move, but each time it became more instinctive, with no second thoughts, pure feeling.

They were surrounded by the dim light from the few remaining candles, but mostly, they were in the dark. Looking at each other had become a new experience. Distinguishing the silhouette of the other, discovering their breathing, adjusting to the movement. Jay's thin hair falling into his face, his movements dubious and short, hearing his soft laugh. Uma's cheek, soft and warm, leaning against his chest, the silhouette of her trembling smile, shaking her head to keep from laughing, but being unable to do so. Spin rocked in other arms, sweet joy that tickled the chest, bubbled in the throat. The words faded, between the dry smell of dust, wine, leather, the warmth of blood and heart.

They were tiny, in the middle of a quarter that seemed infinite, forced to hug each other so as not to be swallowed up by the darkness. The stars never felt so close. Human touch, feel, caress. Was this a dream? So unreal, without touching the ground, on a haze of uncontrollable joy, overwhelming closeness. Spreading their arms laughing, Jay spun her around, Uma stroked his cheek, they looked into each other's eyes. That enthusiasm of camaraderie, of human connection, like tree branches trying to reach the sky, salty tears that fell on the sea, traveling dust of dead stars, crossing the universe amidst brilliance of pure energy, of pure possibility.

The pirate, too tired to continue, stopped playing, but they did not stop listening to the music, it stroked the back of their heads and tinkled in their ears, as they held hands and ran out of the party, pushing each other through the dry herbs from the hill. As they left, the night wind stirred them, lifting their hair and shaking their clothes. As if unable to stop, the wind led them to continue running in laugh until they ran out of air. They were flying. They were flying until the end of time.  



	2. Now that you are here

"No! What? No way! "

  
"I'm invincible darling, didn't I tell you?"

  
Jay dropped the dice, defeated, staring at the sleight of hand in puzzlement. Uma was smiling from ear to ear, clapping excitedly.

  
"You cheated"

"How the fuck am I going to cheat? It's a game of luck "exclaimed Uma, raising her hands, laughing arrogantly" It's not my fault that the universe hates you "  
"Come on, four out of five? Nobody has that good luck "said Jay narrowing his eyes.

"You better start looking for how to pay me," Uma said, smiling.

It was a relatively calm and breezy afternoon. As they were sitting there, on the floor of Uma's little room, they could hear the strong blowing of the wind whipping the windows and whistling through the alleys. On Uma's tiny old radio, an old-fashioned pop song was playing in another language they couldn't identify. Uma smiling, lying placidly over the carpet Jay had brought her, feeling with her fingertips the worn but soft fabric. Uma looked at Jay, as she picked up the dice from the floor.

"You know? Last night I had a dream… what do they call it? Lucid… " Uma commented, lying down with her back to the ground, staring at the ceiling with longing eyes.

"Really?" Jay asked, sitting beside her, leaning on the edge of the bed "What was it about?"

"Okay, I was on a beach you know? But it was a clean beach " Uma described, her eyes shone "And there was a city of white and yellow houses on the coast, and the sun was shining so strong and bright that the sea was glittering "

Jay smirked at the thought, watching Uma's excited gaze with satisfaction. She got up and sat, shoulder to shoulder next to Jay, sighing.

"Sounds like a nice dream"

  
"It was"

"Do you think it means something?"

"No ... It was just a dream ..."

Uma smiled slightly, shrugging her shoulders, resigned. Jay thought for a moment, looking at Uma's scattered face.

"I brought you something," Jay said, starting to smile.

" You did?"

"Oh yes." Jay leaned over the old backpack he carried sometimes when the thefts of the day were too many to hide in his clothing.

He took out a small bag, inside, a worn and broken chain jingled, tied to a small skull pendant. Jay pulled it out and dropped it on the palm of his hand, and showed it to Uma, with a hopeful smile. Uma looked at the jewel in surprise, doubtful.

"That is for me?" Uma asked raising her eyebrows.

"Of course" Jay replied with a little laugh "I ... mmmm ... I don't know, it was among a pile of jewelry that I took from the market a few days ago ... and I thought you might like it"

She laughed nervously, pinning her hair back, feeling her cheeks turn red.

"Thank you, thief boy, is cute" was all she managed to formulate, biting her lip so her smile would not shake.

Jay looked down, trying to hide how happy he was. Uma accepted the jewel, and stroked it with her fingers, listening to the wind outside. It was already dark. Surprisingly, Uma took Jay's hand, and Jay turned to look at her, dumbfounded.

"What if we don't go out tonight? I don't feel like going to a party "

The music on the radio was rhythmic and passionate, joyous like seagulls in the harbor, like laughing sailors and echoes of conversation under a blazing sun. It felt like Uma's dream, distant, but completely real, an illusion that did not die. Jay smiled, hugging his legs, looking at Uma.

"You know what? You're right, let's stay tonight "

_January, three years later_  
  
  
Mal took a deep breath, hand halfway through, wondering if she should pick up the phone. She finally picked it up, dialing the number quickly, before regretting it. Beep, beep, beep, beep beeeeep. No one answered, and Mal tucked a hair behind her ear, wondering what to say, as she waited for the beep from the voicemail.

"Hi Jay ... It's me, Mal ... Hey I ... I don't like not talking to you " she began, trying to sound calm, she could hear her own breathing recording in the diffuse echo of the phone. "Come on, I miss you and… I would like… Would you call me? I'd really like to talk to you. Okay, bye! "

  
Mal hung up, still hearing the phone ringing in her ear. She ran her hands through her hair, sighing. The silence felt strange.  


  
  
" What took you so long?" Uma exclaimed, smiling, approaching to greet them.

"Sorry love, there was a fight in the street" Harry replied with a sigh. Gil came in behind him with a smile.

"Isn't there always?" Jay asked, raising his eyebrow, a scathing half-smile on his face.

"Don't complain Jay dear, we brought food" replied Harry, excitedly shaking the bag in his hand.

"Really? What is it?" Uma said snatching the bag from him and opening it to take a look "Oh by the gods Harry!"

Uma dropped the bag in disgust, throwing up her hands. The bag fell to the ground with a heavy thud.

" ¿ What? It's for cooking, "Harry replied, raising his eyebrows as if it were the most obvious matter in the world. Jay lightly kicked the bag " Hey, don't hurt the meat"

" Is that a rat ?"

"It's a possum" Gil replied cheerfully. Uma looked at them, wide-eyed, pointing to the bag.

"Why in the world, did you brought a dead opossum? " asked Uma.

"Gil wanted to hunt something, so we went to the trough, Scar hunts there, why not us?"

"I wanted to teach my dad that I could hunt, but he said that didn't count" Gil replied, with a disappointed smile. Uma looked at him steadily.

" Geez Gil, of course, it counts, what else do you think Gaston hunts?" Uma replied, giving him a gentle, friendly blow on the head "It's not like there are many options, is this or rats"

"And it's fresh meat!" Harry exclaimed, picking up the bag again. "Come on, when was the last time we had fresh meat?"

"And how are we going to cook it? My mother is going to notice if we fill her kitchen with possum fur "said Uma.

"It's not that difficult," said Jay, slowly intervening "We just need a little fire, Jade taught me how to cook once"

The three of them looked at Jay, and Harry's face lit up.

"We can go to the roof"

They went up excited. They reach it through the window, clambering up the wall, leaning on the tangle of cables that were never turned on anyway. It was dark, but as was usual on the island, there was no silence. The noise of screaming, fights, parties, people talking, and running through the streets. No one dared turn off the lights at night, so the small town was still bright in all its misery. Filthy, decaying, seething with anger, seething with life. The lights jingled, the night was uncertain and threatening. But they were above most of the houses, Uma's house was slightly higher, and on the open roof, they felt like on top of a mountain. The wind was blowing so hard that they had to bend down to keep their balance.

The radio was still playing, rock and roll from another era, from some distant country with a language they did not know, mingling with the collective sound of the island and the furious roar of the wind. They, as strange and disastrous as the island itself, ran up, tripping over each other, emerging into the cool outside that dried their sweat and raised their hair. They were part of the half-fallen buildings, the badly drawn curtains, the dust and puddles of the street, they were part of the peeling paint on the walls, the weeds that managed to grow between the cracks, the wind, the breath of the people.

They sat in a circle, excited like little children opening a gift. They laughed, because of how absurd and decadent the situation seemed, but the cold creeps less in company. Using old papers and the sharp pieces of a broken broom, they made a mound and struggled to light it. Harry's uproarious, high-pitched laugh echoed through the air, like the one of a euphoric hyena, overly instinctive, gushing out from the bottom of his chest. Uma, with a deft and cheerful hand, skinned the animal with an old dagger, listening carefully to Jay's instructions. Gil mixed condiments, the only ones they could get from Úrsula's kitchen, sea salt, a pinch of stolen paprika, fish oil, and bruised lemons.

Jay gave a cry of victory as the first flame ignited and held, slowly beginning to consume the rest of the newspapers, slowly reaching the wood. Harry clapped his hands and turned up the volume of the music, which was energetic and joyous, trumpeting, party sound. Jay smiled, feeling the rhythm of the music with his foot, and took a moment, resting, feeling the coolness give him chills. He looked back for a moment, seeing Harry, splendid in his strange energy, his arms bared, his hair oily and tangled, blowing in the wind.

Harry raised his arms as if preparing to glide above the city, blown up by the wind. His trembling, crooked smile, which creased his face and made his eyes shine like two little lights in the middle of the night, emanated a unique force. It was a hot comet hurtling through the sky, pure rock and fire, sparkling beauty. Harry stared at him, a look of pure vitality, eyes highlighted by smudged black eyeliner.

"Do you like what you see, thief boy?"

In response, Jay lowered his head, a smile on his face.

The meat was half damaged and beaten, probably from the impractical methods to capture the animal, but they managed to grab a good chunk, big enough, and roast it impaled, turning it from time to time. They were comforted by the warmth of the fire and the smell of meat, and they sat around it, light and happy, enveloped by the vast black sky. Would it be possible to stay like this forever?

" It's like being in another place, isn't it?" Harry said to Jay, grinning from ear to ear, eyes trembling and wild, "What do you think the song says?"

"No idea," Jay replied, chuckling a little at Harry's excitement. "Probably something cheesy and perky."

"No, it doesn't seem right" Harry answered confidently "All the songs have something tragic about them"

"All?"

"All"

"What a way of looking at life, Hook, you must be a fan of music," Jay replied sarcastically. Harry laughed again, his laugh tickling and high-pitched.

"Actually I am, Jay," he said savoring the words. "That's exactly what makes it so enjoyable."

"What do you mean?"

" Well that's the way all things are, isn't it?" He said looking at the sky, still smiling, even though his eyes had darkened "There is always a sad side to things, and that is no reason not to enjoy them, if anything, it is the reason to enjoy them"

"Really?" Jay replied, examining Harry's face. "Is it the same for love?" What is its tragic side? "

"Oh, it has many, doesn't it?"

"Many people here would believe that it only makes you weak"

"I guess it does ... My love certainly makes me weaker ... " Harry said, his eyes lighting up with a whole new glow. Unconsciously, Harry looked at Uma, who was turning the flesh somewhat desperately but holding back laughter at the stories Gil was telling her. " But her ... it makes her stronger"

Harry looked down, for the first time, his energy subsiding. Jay smiled, looking at the horizon.

"Hey, Hook, would you teach me how to swordfight?"

In response, Harry smiled one last time. 

Echo of distant stars, of everything that could be. Someone else's party, somewhere, at some other time. It seemed unreal that this perfect night was part of their life. Still, they were home.  
  


_Three years later_

  
Jay felt his gaze disappear, remembering the wind lifting his hair, feeling the strange and salty taste of the possum again, hearing Harry's laugh. His thoughts trembled, his heart was an unfinished story. He shook his head and stared at the clothes in front of him. He folded it as best he could, but he really didn't care much about being careful, things barely fit in the suitcase. Somebody knocked on the door.

" Are you okay?" Aziz asked, leaning against the entrance of the room. Jay licked his lips.

" Yeah " he replied stroking his throat. Aziz walked towards him slowly.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Jay finally looked at Aziz, brushing his tangled hair back from his face. He was already wearing his sweater and thick jacket and his old red mittens in his hands. His eyes were bruised, his face was tired, a fresh scar across his mouth. Jay swallowed, gathering courage, and forced himself to smile at Aziz, it wasn't that difficult.

"I'm sure, I've bothered you long enough," he said nonchalantly "I'll just ... go to Evie's house, she must be wondering where I am"

He closed the suitcase and lifted it safely. Aziz looked at him carefully, he seemed unconvinced, and Jay noticed a warmth in his eyes that he couldn't recognize. Affection.

"Jay," Aziz said sweetly, in a worried voice " You don't have to be okay right away, you know? You don't have to be strong all the time, I think… I think Harry would understand. "

Jay felt a stone hit his head when he heard that name, but he struggled to understand what Aziz was trying to tell him. The silence of the house was warm and empty. Jay was grateful that it was so comforting, grateful that there was nothing or no one around. His heartfelt like needles itched it.

"Yes, I know," Jay replied, nodding his head. He tightened his grip on the suitcase and began to walk toward the door. "Thank you ... for everything, I don't know how I could pay you"

Aziz approached him, and took his neck with one hand, holding his face and looking deeply at him.

"I didn't do it for you to pay me, Jay, I did it because I care about you" Aziz answered firmly "There's no shame in feeling pain, Jay, promise me you'll never forget that"

Jay looked into Aziz's deep dark eyes, sensitive and noble, and felt his heart weigh less. Hope slipped from his hands, but he still clung to it.

"I won't"

They embraced as a farewell, it was intimate, strange, like having been dreaming of some distant place and suddenly having to wake up. Jay put his face to Aziz's head, overwhelmed at not knowing how else to express how much affection he held for him in his heart. Clueless messy hair, an old suitcase, the memory of a dancing star, and a nightly laugh. Neatly folded, he carried Gil's letter in his pocket.

  
  
_Dear Jay, we couldn't see icebergs and penguins, but I enjoyed the fire and the dances, thanks for showing them to me, and don't worry about the scar, I'm sure it will heal. I know Harry asked you to take care of us, but we can take care of you too._  
 _I'm glad you're alive_  
 _-With love, Gil._  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who comented last time, I´m very happy you enjoy it, and hope you liked this one, I know, is shorter, but I´ll make my best to bring the new chapter soon.  
> Also, I invite you to visit my other Descendants fics, yes Im self promoting, why not? no shame. Check Echoes and Children of the Reign, I´m very proud of them :D


End file.
